Bengals Statistics

Browns Statistics

Veteran kicker Billy Cundiff filled the big shoes of Phil Dawson in 2009, and he’ll try to do it
again beginning with the Cleveland Browns’ regular-season opener on Sunday against the visiting
Miami Dolphins.

The Browns reached an agreement yesterday on a contract with Cundiff, 33, the team announced.
The financial terms of the deal were not immediately disclosed, but the length of the contract is
one year, a league source confirmed.

To make room for Cundiff on the roster, the Browns placed guard Jason Pinkston on injured
reserve and designated him to return. Pinkston suffered a high right ankle sprain on Aug. 15 in an
exhibition game against the Detroit Lions and will miss at least half the season.

The Browns held a tryout with Cundiff and Giorgio Tavecchio yesterday at their headquarters in
Berea, and Cundiff prevailed.

Since entering the NFL as an undrafted rookie from Drake in 2002, Cundiff has appeared in 106
career regular-season games with five teams. He has converted 139 of 184 field-goal attempts (75.5
percent), with a long of 56 yards.

Despite an outcry from some Browns fans, CEO Joe Banner does not seem concerned about the team
bringing in a new kicker five days before they open the season.

“You’ll see kickers get hurt during the season, and you’ll bring in a kicker on Tuesday who’ll
kick on Sunday, and it’ll be no problem,” Banner said. “No one will even worry about it. So there’s
a long history of kickers coming in two, four, five (days before a game).”

20 players suspended for start of season

Denver All-Pro linebacker Von Miller is among 20 NFL players suspended for the beginning of the
season. Miller will be out for six games for violating the league’s substance abuse policy.

Two players are suspended for eight games: Ravens defensive back Asa Jackson and Cincinnati
defensive end DeQuin Evans, under the performance-enhancing drugs policy.

None of the 20 players has been suspended for violating the personal conduct policy.

Notable

• Pittsburgh Steelers running back Isaac Redman spent most of the preseason on the bench as a
precaution after tweaking his neck during practice.

That didn’t stop coach Mike Tomlin from making Redman the starter for Sunday’s season opener
against Tennessee.

The Steelers cut Jonathan Dwyer — their leading rusher last season — and handed the starting job
to Redman while second-round pick Le’Veon Bell recovers from a sprained right foot.

• Four former NFL players have sued the league and its helmet maker, claiming they hid
information about the dangers of brain injury. They want medical care for past, current and future
players. The ex-players — Jimmy Williams, Rich Mauti, Jimmy Keyes and Nolan Franz — filed the
federal lawsuit in New Orleans on Sunday.

Last week, the NFL tentatively agreed to pay $765 million to past players with
concussion-related health problems.